Forage isn't necessarily a cheap spot, but I just had a great experience here and do believe it is worth the price you pay. My partner and I couldn't decide what to get from their a la carte menu so we ended up going for the four-course tasting menu instead ($85/pp), picking the omnivore and pescatarian options to see if we could try more items. We were actually a little underwhelmed at first, but the tasting menu got better and better after each course. The tasting menu started with some of their in-house pickles and ferments. We had some onion, green beans, and cucumbers, which I wished were crunchier. Each pickle had a good amount of acidity but I wouldn't have minded if the flavors were punchier. The first course of the tasting menu was a salad. Visually it just looked like a pile of lettuce, but they added a savory garlicky sauce and a sprinkle of asparagus salt that allowed the dish to feel refreshing and hearty at the same time. The radishes were crunchy, peppery, and delicious, and we were very pleased to find that many of the later courses also included raw radish. We ended up getting different dishes for the second course, one of which involved deep-fried arancini-like balls of risotto with a creamy sauce, and the other had a cold plant-based loaf served with a vibrant garlic sauce. Both dishes featured some fresh greens that balanced the carby heaviness. By the time we got to the third course, we realized that Forage makes their vegetables shine. The omnivore course came with a steak while the pescatarian course had a pan-fried fish, both of which were also available to be ordered a la carte. While we thought that the steak and fish were seasoned and prepared well, the vegetables stood out to us even more. They weren't prepared in any crazily innovative way but the chefs made the natural flavors of the vegetables shine in a way that complemented the rest of the dish very well. After the third course, we added one optional cheese course ($22/pp) that came with even more radishes. The hazelnut shortbread was super buttery and everything went well together. I was already feeling pretty full and was glad that we only got one cheese course instead of two. Finally, the fourth course had a maple semifreddo with seaweed crisps and a caramel nut sauce. This was amazing and something that I'll think about for a long time! I could really taste the maple flavor in the semifreddo, and the cold creaminess went so well with the salty, crispy seaweed and nutty, buttery caramel. The balance of textures and flavors in the dessert was excellent. Along with the tasting menu, we added one wine pairing ($60/pp). We liked some of the wines so much that we asked for more information about them and learned that some of the wines are imported in small batches. After experiencing how well vegetables are prepared here, I'd love to visit during different seasons to sample their vegetarian menu items. read more

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Amazing and unique spot. Thoughtful and interesting menu with local ingredients. Fantastic cocktails and wine selection.

This place is the definition of farm to table, fresh ingredients that made me feel like a rabbit foraging through the woods for organic local ingredients. So healthy!! Our server was super kind and very attentive!! Loved that they explained every dish thoroughly when setting it down so we knew what we were digging into. Every item was so thoughtfully crafted. We started with the one local cheese (Moses Sleeper), which was almost like a lighter version of Brie and quite buttery and smooth. Very spreadable!! It came with a carrot bread and pickled fiddlehead ferns, which added a nice tangy crunch to the dish, with the crumbly carrot bread! The cheese was delicious - very light and not the pungent kind. The baked duck egg came in a three way skillet with the most delicious boiled asparagus I've ever had (SO perfectly cooked) while maintaining the integrity of asparagus flavor, plus a nice tapenade on the side. The bamboo rice onigiri was delicious with very tangy flavors. Onigiri itself semi fell apart, but liked the toasty textures. Arctic char tasted and looked like salmon!! Incredibly juicy and fatty on the inside, but skin wasn't crispy and a bit oily. Lotsss of farm to table veggies that I don't normally cook - loved the variety! Overall, a delicious meal where you can tell every menu item was thoughtfully crafted!! I love that the menu rotates through the seasons too. Also, only 4 parking spots in front of restaurant. Hard to find street parking... most are resident permit only. read more

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My parents and I came for dinner a few weeks ago, and it was a whole experience! A few duds but a lot of deliciousness and a lot of fun. First off, the service was great. Both the hostess and our waiter were very knowledgeable about the menu and were more than happy to answer our questions about some of the more unusual items. The ambiance was very cozy - low, warm lighting and a very homey feel. It's technically in a basement but it doesn't feel like it. Onto the food! We were started with an amuse bouche of various pickled veggies. The hostess did tell us that since everything is farm to table and it was still early in the season, pickled veggies would feature heavily on the menu. That was definitely true and not my favorite thing, as someone who generally doesn't love vinegar-tasting anything. It was still fun to try and discover some new flavors. I had never had Angelica before and won't be having it again, haha! Pickled things aside, most of what we ate was delicious! We shared three small plates and two mains, which was plenty for the three of us. The juniper roasted butternut small plate was rather bland - I've roasted better squash myself and I'm no chef. The stuffed pita with duck egg was delicious. The one local cheese paired perfectly with the sweet carrot bread it came with. It was a very mellow and smooth cheese. For mains we ordered the BBQ Heiwa tofu and the bamboo rice onigiri. I really enjoyed both! The tofu was the perfect balance of savory and sweet with the BBQ sauce and we all loved the marinated veggies it came with (mushrooms and spinach I believe). The onigiri was very flavorful and the macomber "pastrami" was unlike anything I had ever eaten. Not my favorite but a fun experience. We came for my mom's birthday and they brought us out a complementary sorbet. Such a nice touch and a refreshing a delicious way to end the meal! read more

Forage - BBQ Heiwa tofu - Wine Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Round 2! After 2 years we gave this spot another try. Many of my first comments stand, but we approached this dining experience with a different attitude. Forage's menu is fresh, in season, locally sourced, and a little weird! But that's okay! We started with the scallops and the char spread served with a milk bun. The bun and char spread was DELICIOUS. I could eat a whole tub of it. The scallops are poached in Parmesan oil, and topped with fennel and ... black ants. Yes, actual dried, crunchy ants. It was a fun dish but it was actually the fennel that threw my palate off. For mains we were indecisive so we got 3 big plates. The cabbage Alfredo served with mushroom bacon and winter squash, the green peppercorn hanger steak served with cornbread (!) and mixed veg, and the New England seafood bake. The cabbage Alfredo was 10/10; incredible flavors and textures. The steak was of course amazing. And the seafood bake was good! We may have been hitting a food coma wall at that point, but the fish was a little underseasoned. Overall my opinion has changed. Forage is a spot you return to if you're tired of the monotony of your typical restaurant. I don't think any other spot in Greater Boston is serving scallops topped with black ants, but hey, it was fun! And once again, the staff is AMAZING. SO kind and fun and really lean into giving you the best dining experience. read more

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Can a place have more than 5 stars just on "service" along?... THIS is the place. This place is casual but, absolutely classy. Really amazing in all they do. Check how much they have considered the details of a customer comfort, that they even have installed panels on the ceiling, to block the noise. Yes, you can listen to lovely music in the background while you are having conversations with your friends and family. Definitely a super win there, for me. And the food you ask? Well... as amazing as everything else. Delicate dishes, presented in great ways and in fact, super delicious. Wow, this place has it ALL. If you are in the area, treat yourself and enjoy! Happy meals! read more

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Cozy spot in the basement. Made a reservation for a Friday evening and were seated right away. Love that there are tasting menus for different dietary restrictions (omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, or vegan) and you don't have to reserve it ahead of time. Everyone at your table must elect to participate in a tasting menu but you can mix and match (e.g one person does vegetarian and one person does vegan). There's also optional wine or non alcoholic drink pairings and not everyone at the table needs to elect to do those (e.g. one person can do a wine pairing and one person can order a cocktail). Can also add on a vegan or non vegan cheese course! We chose the vegan tasting menu, with one wine pairing and one cocktail and we had an absolutely fantastic meal. Amuse-bouche was house made pickles: fiddlehead, asparagus, and radish. Second course was little leaf salad with toasted hazelnuts, pear, caramelized pickled shallots, and charred onion & thyme vinaigrette. While every course was fantastic, this was our favorite and the best salad we've ever had! The shallots and dressing were phenomenal. Third course was miso komatsuna with kimchi cranberries and pickled ginger. Fourth course was spanakopita over a bed of toasted orzo, Za'atar spiced pita, toum, caramelized shallots, and olive and dill salad. Dessert was Japanese yam cashew cheesecake. We had mentioned in our reservation we were celebrating a birthday and they also brought out peach rhubarb sorbet with a candle which was lovely. The wines were a sparkling white, an orange wine, a Shiraz Merlot blend, and a dessert wine. The cocktail was the PawPaw Patrol which was a rum drink with pawpaw fruit. Every course and wine was explained to us as they were brought out. We had a lovely experience and loved every course; will certainly be back again, especially as they rotate menus frequently! read more

Forage - Dessert: Japanese yam cashew cheese cake with complimentary birthday peach rhubarb sorbet - Wine Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Delicious! We did the vegan / vegetarian tasting menu that included a wonderful salad, grilled asparagus, an onion and potato main, the vegan cheese platter and olive oil cake to finish. read more

My husband and I went back to celebrate and anniversary and we went here at least 3 years ago during covid. This was better experience than last as they have built a patio for outdoor dining. When we first went we were on the parking lot. Anyway they greeted us with a toast of bubbly wine and it was tasty. We enjoyed 5 dishes but I forgot to take a picture of the brownie for dessert they also gave us a scoop of their home made key lime pie on the house! The service was great and very attentive. Some of the vegetables were almost underdone but it may just be their style. Always can expect creative flavors and in season items I wouldn't think to make at home. Love supporting these types of restaurants and local small business. The ambiance is cute inside but we sat outside as it was a nice but windy day. read more

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Quirky restaurant with a quirky staff (good things!) and tasty food. I did the non-alcoholic drink pairing. Very creative and highly commended. I did the Omnivore tasting menu which consisted of three vegetarian dishes and one meat course. Vegetarian dishes are very simple, but very fresh are tasty with nice textures The meat course was also very simple but well cooked and was tasty. The dessert was awesome. A bit on the expensive side for what you get, but everything is tasty and creative so I will certainly come again soon read more

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The service and food at Forage is fantastic! I had the vegetarian tasting menu and I think it is excellent how thoughtful and accommodating this establishment is of dietary needs. Every course was well thought out and had good taste, texture and presentation. Their menu changes on a daily basis and I highly recommend it 5/5 read more

I came here last night for my birthday with friends. I was so excited when I drove up to free parking. Then I saw how cute and nesty the place was. As I walked down the stairs I thought "I think I have found my new favorite place" We were impressed with the music / sound / ambiance balance. Then the waiter came. Many waiters came - which seems supportive, but it was chaotic and disorganized! (One would come and and take my wine order, and then another would come and ask the same question, and while I looked up to tell him we were all set he poured tap water over my sparkling water) one staff seemed angry and the other depressed. I set my sites immediately on the tofu mushroom dish - two ingredients I love. I knew I only wanted one dish due to just coming off a head cold, but my companions also decided to do all apps. The waiter acted incredulous! And gave an eye roll! Three of the 4 of us ended up with the tofu dishes - and when it came we're shocked to see a nasty grey mound of blocked tofu with a few mushroom bits sprinkled in. Looked like vomit! I ate it because I was out with friends - but the taste was bland, the texture terrible and it was stone cold! So unfriendly. There was a rock hard piece of squash I had to saw a knife pretty hard to get at. Yuck! From my vantage point they have a great concept but poorly executed. I am a foodie, I love farm to table. I am ok with eccentric pairings and elevated takes - but this dish fell flat. Also - waitstaff need to better read the room. You can see 4 people who have not seen each other in forever - be of service - they were either overly annoying/ in our faces or MIA! My two glasses of wine were great! (The Spanish orange and the 2nd was a red blend) I think they felt our frustration and brought out a trio of ice cream. It was refreshing and even though I never would have ordered the key lime it was very tasty! read more

I'm sorry. I hate to do it. But it wasn't good. Flavors were dull. Some dishes were hard to finish. And one of the priciest places I've ever been. Seems like a high-end crowd, so maybe it's my unsophisticated palate or something - but idk. I enjoy everything from Michelin star restaurants to halal cart platters. The staff seemed nice but the wait time was pretty absurd. read more

For those driving, parking can be very difficult. They have 3-4 spots at the restaurant, but unless you're a Cambridge resident, you may need to park a few blocks away. We visited Forage on Valentine's Day and the restaurant was very busy. We waited maybe 15-20 minutes to be seated with a 7pm reservation, but the host gave us a glass of champagne while we waited. The Mezze Platter was awesome. Second course was okay - we got the Fried Pork terrine, and there was a relatively large bone that we bit into. The Beetroot Flan was...interesting. Not necessarily my up my alley. Got the Texas Style Brisket and the Trout for main courses which were very good, and enjoyed the Chocolate Nemesis and Cashew Cheesecake for dessert. The wine pairing was very good, service was excellent. read more

From the moment we walked in, we felt instantly at ease--the atmosphere was warm and inviting, with a true sense of home. The food was absolutely out of this world--beautifully plated, creatively prepared, and bursting with flavor. Every dish was a unique culinary experience. What truly made the night unforgettable was the exceptional staff. They were not only friendly and attentive, but went above and beyond to make our evening special, even surprising us with thoughtful complimentary treats along the way. We've been eager to dine here for some time, and it exceeded every expectation. Now we're already counting down the days until we can return again (and again). Thank you for the most magical evening! read more

The first thing that strikes you about Forage is its unique location - nestled up right in the middle of a suburban street block, the restaurant is in the basement of a rather nondescript building, and if not for the outdoor dining area, it might just blend in with its neighbouring residential buildings. The second thing is that it's really dark inside. Somewhat unsurprising, I guess, since it's in a basement, but our table in particular was poorly lit to an extreme. That's probably the most notable thing about Forage, though. The food, in a word, was bland. We had the One Cheese and the seafood starters, and honestly I was a little shocked at how.. boring everything was. The cheese plate came with a few tasteless crackers (the cheese itself was fine but certainly did not merit the price) and apple slices (somehow even the apple was bland - a bit dry and not at all sweet). Seafood extravaganza was similar - the place certainly looks nice but each component (especially the shellfish) just had very little flavour to it. Our mains were no less disappointing. Hanger steak was quite tasty, but that was actually it. Both fish plates felt unseasoned and unprepared, and the accompanying veggie selection was so lacking in flavour that we barely ate any of it. Was anything actively bad? Not really - but I can't really remember any particular item or flavour from the entire meal. Everything felt amateurish, from the uncreative recipes, odd and borderline pretentious plating, and most critically, the lack of flavour in... frankly everything. Overall, an extremely mediocre experience - and for this price point? I don't think I'll be coming back. read more

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Amazing mushrooms and great service! The menu changes frequently and everything I've tried has been very flavorful and fresh, though some of the appetizers were too salty for me. I've especially enjoyed their mushroom dishes (boletes and chanterelles). My friend also loves their steak. I like the vibe of this restaurant. It's cozy and feels nice, without being pretentious. Very down-to-earth. read more

Absolutely delightful restaurant located in a discreet, residential part of Harvard Square. It's so quaint and under the radar, that I didn't even know it existed not far from my house! Farm to table in every way with a TERRIFIC list of biodynamic and organic wines, which you simply cannot find in most restaurants (I have no idea why!)! Everyone was incredibly kind and you could just FEEL how much they loved what they did! As an example, whenever anyone would get up to use the restroom, the wait staff would come over to refold their napkin! Every course we had was unique and delicious! The icing on the cake was at the end, when my husband and I couldn't decide between an Amaro to share. Our waiter surprised us with three different ones, two of which were complimentary! We can't wait to come back for one of their Tuesday wine and dinner pairings, especially the mushroom dinner! Sorry for not photos, but it was too intimate and adorable to pull our phones out to take photos! read more

One of the most disappointing meals I've ever had. Honestly, the food was gross and the service was shockingly slow. The ambiance was somewhat nice but good lord...I couldn't finish a single thing off the tasting menu. The risotto tasted like Kraft Mac and cheese and the dessert tasted like perfume. Not to mention how absurdly overpriced everything is. The price to quality ratio is truly offensive. read more

This is my first time ever leaving a Yelp review, and normally don't like to complain but I feel like in this case it's very needed. I went here for dinner on Saturday night. It is very over priced for the portions and quality of food they provide. All of our dishes were kind of disgusting. The carrots app didn't fully shave their carrots which made eating unpleasant and gritty. The cheddar biscuits were extremely dry. The marinated beets paello was disgusting. Had a weird taste, the beets weren't shaved which made them almost inedible. The dessert cake was gross and so small for $17. The service was great and friendly staff. And probably the only reason why I didn't say anything during service but now I regret not speaking up because the price we paid was not worth the meal at all. read more

I had to think long and hard about this one. My wife and I got the vegetarian testing menu (she added the non alcoholic beverage and cheese option). The food tasted good, but our bill ended up being almost $300. That's a lot of money given the portion sizes we received. Nothing was bad, but nothing was so amazing that we walked away thinking it should cost that much. I wasn't hungry but I also didn't walk away feeling full enough for almost $300. I have no complaints about the service or anything, I just can't understand charging fine dining prices for small portions of vegetables in a casual environment. Adding insult to injury is charging the same price for all the tasting menus, including options with meat. Also be forewarned, they charge a 5% kitchen appreciation fee which is one of the highest I've seen in the area, and yes like many places, it was charged on the drinks as well. read more

Came here with friends for a dinner. Food: 3.5/5 Got the hen of the woods, mushroom sausage, seared fish, steak, and "papparadelle". The food was really good however, the fish dish came out cold and needed to be reheated and the peppers with the mushroom sausage was so burnt it couldn't be eaten. Service: 2/5 This is the real kicker for me, the servers were really nice and explained the menu thoroughly. The cocktail menu was designed by one of the servers. HOWEVER, at our 8pm reservation with everyone seated on time without the restuarant being too busy, we waited an hour between our app and our main with the waitress saying "we serve you your main when you're ready for it" which confused our group given that we were ready for our entrees for an hour. Overall we didn't get to eat our dinner until 9:45. Food was good but not worth an almost 2hr wait even if we were already seated. read more

Forage - Seared fish with seasonal veggies this one came out cold :( better after it was sent back and reheated. - Wine Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Last night I took my friend out for a belated birthday dinner. I hadn't been to Forage so wanted to check it out after looking inside one night while on a neighborhood stroll. The place is cute with a nice let's-get-lost vibe. The wine was really good and priced accordingly. The food was good - my friend liked her steak. I had Swimming Chicken which was fine. I took most of it home. The desserts were good - the olive oil cake and lemon sherbet were very good and my friend liked her hazelnut chocolate dessert, too. We sat at their small bar which may have had 6 seats? I like to eat at bars in restaurants. It's fun and communal. The service kind of tanked the dinner afterwards - we sat at the bar. Our server/ bartender seemed to have contempt for us asking her what was good, to make recommendations since we had never been there before. She just waved her hand and said, "it's all good", as if she couldn't be bothered to be specific. We tried to ignore her prickly personality, but each interaction we had with her was unpleasant, which isn't what you want when you're taking your friend out for an nice dinner! I do not typically drop $200. plus tip on dinner. Even paying her was a pain: "we don't count out change, we round up!" Maybe she was having a horrible day, but couldn't figure out how to handle that and work with the public? It is a tough thing to learn, though necessary when dealing with the public. I would go back and try the place again. I ended up speaking to the owner as I was searching where to get that wine. Turns out he owns a wine store in Dedham which carries unique wines so that's cool. And he was unhappy to hear about the server, which shows he cares! He gets we want to have a nice experience when we're dining out. All's well that ends well. read more

First tasting menu experience and it was lovely! We got the vegetarian tasting menu for two plus the cheese course, and each dish was so unique and bursting with flavors and textures. Service was fantastic as well. Although the portions are a little small for there being only 4 courses in the tasting menu, the flavors made up for it. Definitely recommend Forage for a special night out! read more

Forage - Vegetarian tasting menu - Wine Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came for an anniversary dinner as this is one of few restaurants in Boston that offers a more fine dining experience for vegans. The service was amazing, but the food had its highs and lows. We decided not to go with the vegan tasting menu, which i think is a good decision. The table next to us ordered the tasting menu, and it's literally just a selection of the main menu vegan items-- the Brussels sprouts tops, the roasted potatoes, risotto, and some dessert (we left before they got it). It is definitely a lot to eat for one person. Between the two of us, we just ordered the potatoes, Brussels sprouts tops, matsutake mushroom, and stuffed honey nut. They arrived in that order, and we both agree that the food only improved as the dinner went on. The roasted potatoes were paired with a cabbage slaw that had a unique floral + almond extract flavor, which was unexpected and didn't feel cohesive with the potatoes. The almond extract flavor felt too overpowering, and the potatoes didn't have enough browning and flavor themselves to work with the other strong flavors. We appreciated the acidity of the slaw, but others did not (the table next to us didn't even touch the cabbage). Next came the Brussels sprouts, which I have no complaints for except that they could be improved with a little more crispiness on the sprout leaves. They were cooked perfectly tender and paired with a pumpkin purée and cranberry sauce, both delicious, but the pecan topping was the only thing adding textural variety. I personally love the crispy edges of roasted veggies, and was missing that in this dish. Still, it was very yummy. Next came the Matsutake mushroom, which was a large whole roasted mushroom on a bed of polenta and collard greens. These collard greens were the best I've ever had-- not a hint of bitterness, a roasted smoky flavor, perfectly seasoned. The polenta was not bland at all and paired perfectly with everything on the plate. But the mushroom, being large and whole roasted, lacked flavor on the inside, and was a little bland. I think cutting into smaller pieces to allow more seasoning coverage as well as caramelization surface area would have been much better. Finally the honey nut squash. This was amazing, and I want to go back just for this. The honeynut was roasted so buttery and smooth, and the stuffing had hints of sweet tartness with the golden raisins (I promise even raisin haters will enjoy) and pickled onions. The salad it came with was dressed simply but very complementary to the warm flavors of the squash. Definite must order! We ended with the chocolate hazelnut tart, which is also a must order, though rich enough to be shared happily between two people. It was like eating a spiced chocolate fudge-- super unique with subtle spice flavors and altogether delicious. We also got a complimentary Concord grape and crabapple sorbet, the ice cream of that day. It was very sweet and almost candy like, and we ate it all happily, but I wouldn't pay $7 to have it again. All in all we had a great satisfying dinner that came out to ~$51 per person after tax and tip, including dessert. The portions were larger than we expected considering the label "small plates" on the menu, and we were very happy with the service. The lighting could be a tad brighter so as to see the food (and take pics) better, but all in all a cozy elegant atmosphere. read more

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This hidden gem is my favorite place to go on special occasions. We were back for Tuesday Wine Dinner ($90). They have a different theme for this event and the theme was Portugal Wine. We went with Omnivor option. Menu: Salada del Mar with House Crackers 2020 Branco, João Pata aka Duckman, Bairrada Smokey Potatoes with Bitter Greens and Spicy Chili Mayo 2019 "COZs Pop Macerado", Da Cruz e Teles, Lisboa Tamarind Braised Pork with Balichao, Sushi Rice, Tomato, Lime, and Onion 2018 "Tinto", Casa de Mouraz, DAO Optional Paired Cheese +$25 Goat Tomme, Twig Farm, VT Smoked Hazelnuts, Prunes 10 year Madeira Flight Henriques & Henriques Sercial & Verdelho  Salame de Chocolate with Bush Quince Marmalada, and Spicy Tea Biscuit 1991 Carcavelos, Quinta dos Pesos Each bite is a celebration to the ingredients and comes with full of surprises, perfect balance of spices and flavor. I especially liked the Seafood salad which was like a seviche but also with complex vegetable flavor added to it. The tang from the bitter greens was perfect to go with the smokey potatoes and the kick of the spicy chili mayo. The pork was so tender and went perfectly with the sharpness of the spices and fresh veggies. The chocolate sausage was decadant but was perfect between the spicy tea biscuit and the sour marmalade. I also appreciate that you can taste the wine flavor profile change when you combined with food, which made the experience much more enjoyable. Staff was friendly and very pleasant to talk to. They offered us the cheese to split between the two, which was perfect for someone who want to try but also quite full. I'm really happy that they survived COVID and would love to come back again in the near future! read more

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Absolutely phenomenal restaurant and completely devoured the plates! Food: looks like dishes are on a regular rotation here. -Fennel strawberry salad (4/5) crunchy, sweet, balanced, but would have preferred more of that anise-forward flavor. -Bluefish (5+/5)!!! Never had bluefish before and pleasantly surprised with the super meaty texture and none of the irony-fishy taste. Served with a mustard green salad + cashew dressing that made all the flavors really complement each other so well. Super well seasoned and much umami in this dish! -Earl grey chocolate brownie (5/5). Can't go wrong with this combination. Great the custard drizzle. The star was extremely friendly and quick. Lighting a bit dim (which I thought was comical since most people had to look at the menu with a flashlight on). Love that they also a forager deliver gems on a routine basis. I'm not usually a restaurant repeater and I came with a full stomach from another restaurant but was thoroughly impressed by the flavors and would definitely come back to this one!!! read more

I thought long and hard about this one and finally settled on what I think is a deserved score and review. At first look, Forage seems like a nice quaint restaurant. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. It is a bit odd that they are situated in a residential area, surrounded by apartment complexes. I'd hate to be living there. Anyway, I made a reservation and they do one of the things I HATE most from restaurants. They charge a no-show fee. Honestly, it just seems like a poor way to do business. Life happens. What if I got sick? Would they want to me hacking my lungs up on my neighbors? What if I had an emergency? It is unacceptable. They make you put up a credit card as collateral but at least they don't place a hold on it. It was otherwise easy enough to get a reservation. We came here because I had a guest who was vegan and we wanted to try to vegan tasting menu. $60 for a tasting menu, seems ok, until you learn it is only 4 teeny-tiny courses that are simply non fiilling. I do have to hand it to the chef, it all did taste pretty decent which is surprising for vegan food. Often vegan food is bland and tasteless but this was surprisingly satisfactory. The texture of the main course of the tasting menu which was this triangle mix of beans and lentils was a bit off putting however. What I found to be the most appalling was the service. No table had one particular waiter it seems. People just came with the food as it was prepared. Our first one, the one that took our order, had just terrible behavior. She was sarcastic and rude and was just overall unpleasant. She made us feel so uncomfortable that we would just go silent when she was around lest we feel her wrath again. Another waiter just threw our food on the table and left. We had to ask him to let us know what we were eating because you know, it was a tasting menu. He gave this brief list of ingredients and abruptly left. The other two waiters were fine, and pleasant enough. I get that people have bad days, but if one is going to pretentious enough that they think they can demand cancellation/no-show fees and charge Michelin star prices, the service needs to be better. It wasn't like I was paying $10 a person kind of meal and would have no expectations of service. The bill came out to be over $400. We remained as calm as we could for the duration of the evening and just tried to minimally interact with the staff after those first encounters but overall the experience just left a bad taste in my mouth both figuratively and literally after that weird main course. I doubt I will return and certainly will not recommend any of my friends at this point. read more

Amazing! Im a creative eater and cook and this place blew me away. Incredibly creative flavor profiles for every dish, everything works so well you feel as though its done this way at every restaurant ... but its not. Try as many dishes as you can and save room for the house churned ice cream! The scoop of the night for me was Eucalyptus! This is what every restaurant should be trying to be these days. Keep it up! read more

Forage is a wonderful, intimate restaurant tucked in a corner away from all the busling of Cambridge neighborhood (probably about 15 min walk from either Harvard or Porter Sq). The restaurant occupies a small, wonderful space of the former famous Ten Tables and Craigie on Main restaurants. Thendimly lit restaurant was so intimate and definitely conducive to small parties (I'd say for a date or up to 4 people). There's also a small bar area that can seat ~6-8 people. You definitely should make a reservation ahead of time, as they do get crowded even on a weekday evening early in the week. I had a chance to stop by to try their 5-course Meatless Monday dinner and was definitely satisfy with it. For $40, it was nice to be pampered with local farm to table ingredients and food that are healthy and don't make you feel so bloated or too full afterwards. The only thing I felt though was that the wait between the courses were a bit too long and that the ingredients lacked greens/veggies (more along roots/mushroom side). But that's fair enough as I was having dinner in the middle of fall...fresh green leaves arent in season at the time! Woyld definitely love to stop by this place again if I have a friend or out of town visitor who isn't picky about food and is a fan of farm to table style meal. $40 on Monday evening, for the ambiance, the service and the meal...that's a steal in my mind! read more

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Went here for my best friends 21st birthday party. So there were a few of us and we did order nearly the whole menu so I had the chance to try it all from each of our plates. I have to say the food was somewhat underwhelming. Not a ton of flavours and not super interesting. Given the price range I'm really looking forward to tasting something unique with passion from the chef(s). That's not really found here, the ingredients and flavors are good but are what you might expect from a cheaper restaurant. The wine list is alright and we'll thought out obviously but a bit pricey as are the cocktails but that is to be expected. Flavours from the wine I had were great, complex, and what one should come to expect from a wine bar. The staff unfortunately were a bit unfriendly but I can understand the hesitation given I am from a younger crowd outside of what I might expect more typical age ranges for patrons. They did offer the birthday girl a full glass of chartreuse and ice cream which was really cool to see and above and beyond. Overall it was a mediocre experience, good food but not quite what I expect relative to prices. read more

Forage - Wine Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Forage is one of my all-time favorite places in the Boston-Cambridge area. I've had their Meatless Monday special numerous times and each evening there is such a lovely one! ($40 for 6 veggie fine-dining courses on Monday's). They serve local and seasonal ingredients, which is clearly reflected in their menu - more of a reason to come back in different seasons. I've been waiting for my summer-fall CSA subscription to end so I could order Forage's Goodie Bag, a weekly mix of locally-sourced produce and house-made items. I received my first Goodie Bag this week and it was the highlight of my week! Some of my favorite items from this week were the Sunchokes, Oyster Mushrooms, and Rosemary Salt. The bag (which was also much larger than I expected!) also came with a cute "menu" so you could see where each item was sourced from. The whole experience was such a treat - I will definitely be reordering soon. (Forage also has delicious looking cocktails on their to-go menu as well - I can't wait to try that in my next order!) read more

Forage - Forage Goodie Bag (circa COVID times 2020™) - Wine Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I don't understand how this restaurant can't get anything but 5 stars. I eat out 3 nights a week in Los Angeles Boston New York San Francisco. This was definitely the best meal I've had in the last few years, the Ambiance, the service, the level of non rushed attention. The olive oil that is free poured was incredible, and as a connoisseur of olive oil I would rate it in the top three that I've ever had. They also provide fresh bread for dipping that was extraordinairly crisp on the crust and soft inside. Usually French Breads that are used for restaurants tend to be either too soft or too hard. I'm sure you've had that experience. My girlfriend is a vegetarian and on Monday night they have it 6 course tasting menu for $40! I don't think you can really beat that. I had a grilled Bluefish plate, which was excellent. Are two friends who we met also had the vegan tasting menu and it was well received by both of them. They have some inventive drinks and provided a couple of inventive non-alcoholic drinks that weren't on the alcoholic menu. This makes now alcoholics feel special too! Although Forage, the name, implies that it should be stuff that is foraged from the nature exclusively they don't really do that so you'll be OK if you're an omnivore. One of the appetizers was a fermented plate, and it was very inventive and you can see by the picture was presented well even given what it was. Basically pickled and fermented vegetables! Highly recommend this place. They let us stay for three and a half hours and we had an amazing time. read more

Forage - Fermentation plate! Yum! - Wine Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Save your money, go to Veggie Galaxy in Central or something. There is WAY better vegan food in Boston; positive reviews for this establishment come from a place of denial and buyers remorse. Cope. The location and ambiance is cute. That's where the the good ends. Ordered two sides, tofu and fiddle heads, and a main of Huarache. The fiddleheads came out raw, and the tofu (unflavored) was actually an asparagus dish sprinkled with tofu (lol). The main was fine, like a dressed up item one would find in Taco Bell. Again, the Huarache was fine because the first two dishes were utterly awful. Seriously it felt like the chef foraged for the ingredients and plated moments after we ordered. If that's the appeal of the establishment, bravo. Otherwise, inedible. Genuinely gross. Severe indigestion the next morning. Good luck foodie. read more

My wife and I invited our adult son for first visit here at outdoor seating which is warmed comfortably by gas heat lamps in Winter. While reviewing the menu. we were brought complimentary hot lemongrass tea. We started with small plates including warmed Iggy's bread, pork rillette, and the house pickles. For dinners, my wife and son ordered the hanger steak which was perfectly medium rare and tender. I went off the small plates for the Maine mussels and Brussel sprouts which were enhanced with pine nuts. Two of drank the Sardinian Nasca orange wine. We were all also treated to cups of lamb matzah ball soup. The dessert menu was appealing but no one had room! Extraordinary as the food was, the four servers that teamed on our table surpassed were exceptional and undaunted by the cold. With everything so consistently good, we'll be back for the tasting menu/ read more

Vegetarian tasting menu was excellent. Service was fantastic. Great option for a special occasion, especially for vegetarians, vegans, or pescatarians. Beautiful, quiet neighborhood. read more

Went here for a group dinner and the experience was quite good. Very limited selections on the menu but the delivery on taste and aesthetics is top-notch. Craft beer and wine options are also limited but good. Authentic American bistro serving and dining. Good for intimate dinner scenes and gatherings. read more

Had a dinner meeting here. Chose it because it was plant forward and the menu seemed inspired. Also because it's off the beaten track and the ambiance is lovely. Unfortunately, the food was less than inspiring. Severely lacking in seasoning and dry. Protein dishes desperately needed sauces and mushroom dishes were not treated with care. Really want more from this place because the concept and wine list are wonderful. read more

Although, as a vegan, I can't comment on anything else on Forage's menu, their vegan cuisine is uniformly substandard. It is largely without flavor--other than an excessive use of salt and vinegar. There's also little of it; after your meal, you may find yourself--as we did--ordering a meal from someplace else. And it's expensive: our order was take-out--two tasting menu vegan dinners with no drinks--and the bill with tip came to over $220. That's too much to pay for a small amount of bad food (any amount is too much to pay for bad food). The ambiance seems pleasant. It's a kind of basement grotto in an apartment building, with a small bar, semi-intimate lighting, and only a few tables. To Forage's credit, it doesn't try to make the place look fancier than it is. This works in its favor. The staff all seemed nice enough, based on my limited exchanges with them. But you can't bluff your way into making good food simply by supplying the dishes with esoteric names and odd descriptions. The stuff has to taste good, and Forage's vegan food, regrettably, does not taste good. read more

We booked this restaurant on a Saturday evening for our anniversary in late June due to a recent Best of Boston review. The restaurant setting was rather quaint and intimate. It was located in the basement level of a condo building. My husband and I went for the 4-course tasting menu - him the omnivore, and me the vegan. The omnivore: The macaron appetizer was well balanced and tasted really good. 2nd course - mussels dish was briny yet felt like it was lacking a depth in flavor. The 3rd course, roast chicken was so-so. The dessert was a rich and decadent-looking chocolate cake (which unfortunately, my husband is not a fan of chocolate). My vegan course started off with an amazing broccolini appetizer - it was really fresh and had a good balance of texture and taste. The second plate highlighted a giant grilled bok choy that was too large and fibrous to properly eat. I spent a good amount cutting the leafy green and chewing the bok choy, which could have been wilted a little bit more to help with the breakdown. I wanted a little bit more dressing to help with the taste and texture of the dish as all I tasted was char, bland, and fiber. The third was also rather disappointing and nothing to write home about. For the desert, the vegan cake, unfortunately, had a gritty, offputting texture while the cookies almost broke my teeth (though had good flavor). For drinks: I had the Mint Condition - it was a delicious mix of minty sweetness and tart. He had the Wicklow, which was just as tasty. As an overall, the four plates for the omnivore menu made more sense than the vegan menu. We were excited and dazzled at the beginning of the dinner service but left disappointed by the end of the meal. Service was good and the wait staff was attentive. Parking spaces were limited as most of the spots were not owned by the restaurant so we had to park farther away. The rating should be 2.5 stars but the system does not allow for that. So, a generous 3 stars is provided. read more

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